Coming our way

The US has delivered 130 armored vehicles to the Lebanese army to "fight terrorists in the north" just as these "terrorists" are the verge of defeat.

It is not explained what strategic value is provided by a Humvee in house-to-house fighting.

The US military shipped in its most senior officer, Admiral William Fallon (head of the U.S. Central Command) to pat Lebanese ministers on the back for a "job well done" in bombarding Palestinian homes into dust.

The last time the US inspected the army (January 2006) they expressed confidence in the Lebanese soldiers. A few months later the Israelis launched their war on Hizbollah. It seems the Americans were hoping the army's tea-making capabilities would put to good use once the Israelis did the business. Alas for the US, Hizbollah refused to be crushed.

So here comes the second attempt. What the Israelis failed to do with their first world weapons the Lebanese army is expected to do with US cast offs. All this of course comes as the Lebanese state is more and more entrenched in two opposing camps with the west throwing all their support behind the March 14 cabal.

There is a dangerous misconception at play in both the US and the March 14 that the army will hold together in any attack on Hizbollah or the Palestinian resistance. There is a belief that because the mass of ordinary people supported the army attack on Fateh el-Islam they would continue to support them if they turned their guns on the rest of the country.

Uncensored

It is with great pleasure that Ashkal Alwan invites you to attend the performance of How Nancy Wished That It Was All An April Fool's Joke, directed by Rabih Mroue, at Masrah al Madina on Thursday 30 August at 7:30pm and at 10:00pm.

The performance was initially banned by the Surete Generale for content that alledgedly stirs sectarian tensions. Concerted efforts by local cultural practitioners, the Lebanese media, and particularly Culture Minister Tarek Mitri to appeal the decision resulted in Interior Minister Hassan al Sabeh revoking the ban on Monday August 27.

We hope that efforts in this regard will eventually lead to the annulment of censorship laws on cultural production in Lebanon.

Written by Fadi Toufiq and Rabih Mroue; Performed by Lina Saneh, Hatem Imam, Ziad Antar and Rabih Mroue;
Set Design and Graphics: Samar Maakaron, Animation: Ghassan Halwani.

Performance visuals were based on Zeina Maasri's collection and research that will appear in a forthcoming book and exhibition entitled Signs of Conflict: Political Posters of the Lebanese Civil War 1975-1990

Produced by the Lebanese Association for Plastic Arts, Ashkal Alwan, the Tokyo International Arts Festival, Festival d'Automne 36e edition, and La Ferme du Buisson (Temps d'Images)

Ashkal Alwan Phoenicia Sreet, Saab Bldg. #2, 4th Floor, Beirut, Lebanon Telefax : +961 1 360 251 – Mobile: +961 3 393 807 E-mail: info@ashkalalwan.org web address http://www.ashkalalwan.org

The poster compares the 1975 killing of Palestinians that triggered the civil war with the massacre at Dar Yassin in 1948

Kuwait 1978

Do you love me? Bendaly Family, recorded in Kuwait

Compensation

The Lebanese government has paid compensation to domestic workers killed by Israeli bombs in during the July war.

The Israelis had refused to accept responsibility for the deaths of Vijitha Mallika Liyana Gamage, Mihottige Ruwini Shashika Perera, Joseph Ranjani, Kandappuge Asoka Ranjani and Jayakody Arachchige Kalyani.

The plight of the long suffering workers was made worse during the war.

Meanwhile Israeli war planes are on the prowl again.